HOCKEY

HOCKEY;New Top Line Shows Promise for Islanders

By JASON DIAMOS

Published: October 8, 1995

BOSTON, Oct. 7—
Cam Neely christened the new Fleet Center with a hat trick and was showered in a sea of caps from the crowd. In about the same time it took to clear the ice, however, the Islanders fought back from a two-goal, third-period deficit and went home with a 4-4 tie against the Boston Bruins.

In all, the Islanders rallied from two goals down on three separate occasions. They survived a tense moment with 1 minute 16 seconds remaining in overtime when Todd Elik's apparent game-winning goal was waved off because goaltender Tommy Soderstrom (36 saves) had accidentally knocked the the goal off its moorings seconds earlier.

"My concern was whether we could weather an early storm, because we knew there would be a lot of emotion in this building," said Mike Milbury, who made his debut as Islander coach after spending two decades as a member of the Bruins organization. "A point is beautiful, especially spotting them two goals."

Boston's Sandy Moger scored the first goal at 10:40, and Neely connected 26 seconds later. The new Islanders, looking a lot like the old Islanders, were quickly down, 2-0.

Then the Islanders' top line of Zigmund Palffy, Travis Green and Todd Bertuzzi started to make things happen. The trio dominated play nearly every time they were on the ice.

"That's what they've been doing all training camp," Milbury said. "They've developed and emerged into really what could be a top line in this league."

Palffy, who was shaken up early in the first period, had contributed to the Bruins' first goal, turning the puck over in the offensive zone to set up a Bruins rush. But after Neely scored his first in front off a nice backhand pass from Adam Oates, the line shifted the momentum.

They cut the deficit to 2-1 at 12:38 of the first on the Islanders' first power-play of the season. Every Islander touched the puck on the play and Green, who had 5 goals last season (4 in the final 10 games), beat a flopped Blaine Lacher to put the Islanders right back in the game.

Neely scored his second goal early in the second period on a power-play deflection of Oates's slapper, but Palffy, Green and Bertuzzi seemed determined to keep their teammates in the game. The rookie Bertuzzi scored his first career goal at 9:11 of the second almost single-handedly. The bruising 20-year-old pushed defenseman Don Sweeney off the puck along the right boards, then carried it around behind the net, tucking a backhander from the left post past Lacher to the far side, and the Islanders again trailed by one.

Once again, though, Neely answered. He finished off the first hat trick in the new arena 42 seconds into the third period with a backhander in front. The score was set up by a wonderful feed from Raymond Bourque from the top of the slot on the Bruins' sixth power-play on the day (Boston finished 2-for-9).

But faced with another two-goal deficit, the Islanders fought back. Seconds after the hats had been cleared from the ice, Kirk Muller banged home a rebound of a Wendel Clark blast to make it 4-3, aided by a nice hit in front by Brett Lindros.

Exactly two minutes later, it was that line again. Green dropped a nice pass back for Palffy, whose slapper was turned back by Lacher (21 saves). But Green was right there, and he completed a difficult turnaround move with his second score of the game to make it 4-4.

"Travis played the best game I've ever seen him play today," said Islanders General Manager Don Maloney. "By a country mile. He just carried the line."

Today, it could be argued that the line carried the team, as well.

SLAP SHOTS

KIRK MULLER is upset that his contract has not been renegotiated. "Right now, I'm not happy the way the talks have gone," he said. "I didn't want to walk out today, I know it was a big game for Milbury. I wanted to play." But Muller hinted that he might sit out the Islanders' game in Toronto on Tuesday. "I can't answer that yet, to be honest. We'll just have to wait and see." General Manager DON MALONEY, who spoke with Muller's agent on Friday night, said, "We're making dialogue. Somebody's trying to make something out of nothing. I'm getting a little tired of it, too. It's up to them. I've put a good faith offer on the table. They've got to come back to me now."